Impreza owners/ex owners findings
- Thread starter Vogon
- Start date
Looks a little different, and very nice, forgive my ignorance but is that a saloon version of the hatch model, presumably japan only model ?
As an aside, is it allowed to mention names of importers and seller ? If so can I ask for recommendations? I found one in bucks that appears to be reputable at first glance.
On a different note, surprising how many I have phoned up with no record of head gasket or timing belt replacement despite being between 85- 105k miles
Soldato
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- 25 May 2008
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Yeah that is worrying, from memory i think timing belts were recommended every 5 years? I know mine was done when i bought it at 5 years old and was due when i sold it at 10 but i just knocked a bit off the price so the new owner could do it himself.
Looks a little different, and very nice, forgive my ignorance but is that a saloon version of the hatch model, presumably japan only model ?
As an aside, is it allowed to mention names of importers and seller ? If so can I ask for recommendations? I found one in bucks that appears to be reputable at first glance.
On a different note, surprising how many I have phoned up with no record of head gasket or timing belt replacement despite being between 85- 105k miles
Its the saloon yeah, think you can get it here although not in 2.0 or Spec C
Here's the rear:
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I think I might be best getting a ball park figure for head gasket and timing belt +ancillaries replacement and budget for that.
One I phoned is actually doing the Head gaskets, when I asked about the belt, they said " it looked alright" but there is no paperwork to to evidence a cambelt change ... I assume the engine is out for the gaskets, so why on earth would you not do the belt etc at the same time ?
Soldato
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- 25 May 2008
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- 4,038
- Location
- North Wales
You can do the belts in situ, it's a bit of a pain but perfectly doable. It is however 10x easier when the engine is out.
I've had 3 (blob wrx ppp, hawk wrx and a hawk Sti ppp) - all been good to me really and I drove them hard/tracked the first and last. Good to see one that has been looked after and I would say has been used, they dont seem to like sitting for ages. I am ok with spanners and had a couple of coolant leak issues, thermostat stuck, turbo cooling etc... but loads of guides and decent parts available. I live fairly close to RCM and thought they looked after the car very well servicing wise. Check for rust, on the front lower parts, like the rad support, sills, arches etc - from the factory there were some parts that held water against the metal bits, the undertray quite a few people remove..
Pulling an engine is beyond my basic mechanical abilities, it's more a case of liking to have an understanding of what is involved.
If it came to needing HG or cambelts, I would have a professional do it TBH.
Although there does look to be a drought of specialist locally.
Are HG failure only a 2.5 issue, or are the 2.0 still prone but just a bit less likely to suffer ?
If it came to needing HG or cambelts, I would have a professional do it TBH.
Although there does look to be a drought of specialist locally.
Are HG failure only a 2.5 issue, or are the 2.0 still prone but just a bit less likely to suffer ?
The 2litre is more reliable but a well looked after 2.5 will be fine.. hard to know if previous owners have been mechanically sympathetic to it as they do tend to get driven hard... wish i hadnt sold my sold my 2.5 tbh
Scratch that
As they are hiding where they are, and the one postcode doesn't show anything resembling the claim "we stand tall as the premier Japanese import car dealership" that I can see ...
Oh it gets better, so we have a High Wycombe postcode, the find us map points you to a little outside of Birmingham, and from their blurb about quality and high standards, I find an Import STi with a set of wheels which have clearly been painted with tyres attached, complete with colour matched valves, by Arthur Daleys apprentice himself
Back to the task at hand , thanks to you guys, risk mitigation would point me the way to a 2.0 STi as being what we should be looking for, all I have to do now is find one that isn't the other end of the country and close enough to budget that the bank of mum and dad can add some to the kitty if required
Back to the task at hand , thanks to you guys, risk mitigation would point me the way to a 2.0 STi as being what we should be looking for, all I have to do now is find one that isn't the other end of the country and close enough to budget that the bank of mum and dad can add some to the kitty if required
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The 2.5's for some reason love pooping the bottom end, I'd avoid if possible.
Rust is an issue on pretty much all bar the later hatchback versions.
Getting one with the prodrive pack from factory is probably the best all rounder for budget, power , insurance costs.
Rust is an issue on pretty much all bar the later hatchback versions.
Getting one with the prodrive pack from factory is probably the best all rounder for budget, power , insurance costs.
Has he had any kind of performance car before? 22 years old and an Impreza STi has the potential to end badly. They might be AWD but they have no electronic aids and if you push them hard enough, that back end will come round faster than you can say "HOLY ****!"
I went from 8 years of driving 250bhp turbo FWD cars to a bugeye WRX, and then to my 05 STi. In the early days of getting the STi I had a few very eye opening moments because I didn't realise what the car could do. Think you can just boot it in 2nd gear off a wet roundabout because it's AWD, think again.
Other than that though... I love mine. Very fast, very loud, very fun. STi is crap on fuel compared to the WRX though, which isn't a huge issue if it's not a daily driver. Although in the first 12 months of owning mine I put 18k miles on it at 25mpg average.
I went from 8 years of driving 250bhp turbo FWD cars to a bugeye WRX, and then to my 05 STi. In the early days of getting the STi I had a few very eye opening moments because I didn't realise what the car could do. Think you can just boot it in 2nd gear off a wet roundabout because it's AWD, think again.
Other than that though... I love mine. Very fast, very loud, very fun. STi is crap on fuel compared to the WRX though, which isn't a huge issue if it's not a daily driver. Although in the first 12 months of owning mine I put 18k miles on it at 25mpg average.
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is a Subaru dealer fitted PPP as good as factory ? and would I be right in thinking its a remap with exhaust and mud flaps ?
yes, the dealer fitted ones are the same as factory, only authorised dealers were allowed to fit them, remap, upgraded hose/pipe to turbo/intercooler, different backbox/exhaust (some removed one of the cats too, mine did).. I think mud flaps/spoilers were optional extra's ontop, so the theory was the WRX 225bhp with PPP became 265-275ish, the Sti standard was 275bhp with PPP became 320ish.. I had my Sti remapped (even tho it had PPP) and gained about 5bhp and 45lbft - although even in standard form a 325bhp Sti feels quick.. they dont weigh much, also they are very different to drive properly. although they are AWD the diffs are all open, it will understeer when pushed until you understand weight transfer - i found it very rewarding learning the tricks to get the most from it.
PPP on the bug/blob/hawk STi includes;
190lph fuel pump upgrade
Upgraded intercooler hoses
Downpipe with sports cat (the sports cat on these is very very good and will pass an MOT with ease)
2nd cat removal (IIRC)
Prodrive backbox (most are a round tip but mine had an oval tip which is much rarer, and I stupidly sold it when I changed the exhaust)
Remap
Power increase from 265 to 305bhp
No mudflaps, splitters or spoiler extensions were part of PPP
190lph fuel pump upgrade
Upgraded intercooler hoses
Downpipe with sports cat (the sports cat on these is very very good and will pass an MOT with ease)
2nd cat removal (IIRC)
Prodrive backbox (most are a round tip but mine had an oval tip which is much rarer, and I stupidly sold it when I changed the exhaust)
Remap
Power increase from 265 to 305bhp
No mudflaps, splitters or spoiler extensions were part of PPP
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Well, the first intended viewing has gone out the window, disappeared from AT and the Traders website 
As I have exhausted AT, best see what JDM importers I can find within a sensible range.
Edit: this is frustrating ... another one that I am sure was fresh advertised this morning, has been sold when I phoned to arrange a viewing. some oik is stealing all the nice sounding scoobys
As I have exhausted AT, best see what JDM importers I can find within a sensible range.
Edit: this is frustrating ... another one that I am sure was fresh advertised this morning, has been sold when I phoned to arrange a viewing. some oik is stealing all the nice sounding scoobys
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